Of course, this will require airlines adding some equipment to their planes to enable wireless communication, so we can all look forward to a "wireless communication and entertainment" fee getting added to ticket prices. There will also be the opportunity to pay a little extra to sit in a "silent section," similar to exists on some commuter trains, where talking on a cellphone is not allowed. If you're in one of those sections and find that you do need to make an important call, like maybe to say you're in an airplane or that you're being served lunch, you could elect to pay a one-time "silent section talk fee," where a small amount (say, $10) will give you a 5-minute right to ignore the silent rule. The airlines may also feel the need to implement a "system safety and security monitoring" fee, since there is still some evidence that strong electric signals can interfere with some plane systems and the pilots will need to be extra-vigilant. But it'll all be worth it, I'm really excited about this.

My flying was not that frequent, 4-6 times a year, and new job means it is probably down to once or twice (regional focus, company car). Flying the last several years has been miserable, so let's just add this to the experience. The resulting fights should be glorious.

The same rude, inconsiderate, vapid housebeasts that can't hang up while driving or shopping will continue to wiggle their jowls the whole flight.

No.

What he said.

I have been known to talk on my phone a lot, but even I don't want to have cell calls allowed on planes. No one needs to hear about your life, and expecting people not to listen is unrealistic. If they allow wifi, you can email or text your messages that can't wait until landing.

If they want to allow calls, I say they should also make it required that the calls be on speaker phone so we can all take part in the conversation lol.

No no no no no no no no NO! I already have to listen to the morans that as SOON as the plane touches down whip out their cellphones and start jabbering away because they can't wait FIVE FARKING MINUTES to get into the terminal. If I have to listen to this shiat for an entire god damn flight I will have to fight my urge to take that cellphone and ram it repeatedly up the user's ass until they bleed, then shove that bloody phone down their throat until they choke while repeatedly kneeing them in the junk/crotch and then watch the light slowly fade from their eyes while my rage subsides and I'm left with a feeling of overwhelming satisfaction at a job well done.

hailin:No no no no no no no no NO! I already have to listen to the morans that as SOON as the plane touches down whip out their cellphones and start jabbering away because they can't wait FIVE FARKING MINUTES to get into the terminal. If I have to listen to this shiat for an entire god damn flight I will have to fight my urge to take that cellphone and ram it repeatedly up the user's ass until they bleed, then shove that bloody phone down their throat until they choke while repeatedly kneeing them in the junk/crotch and then watch the light slowly fade from their eyes while my rage subsides and I'm left with a feeling of overwhelming satisfaction at a job well done.

I'm a 400-pound flatulent guy who always reclines his seat and carries Knee Defenders to prevent the guy in front of me from reclining, who travels with a baby with inner ear issues, carries two rollerbags aboard every flight that I stow at least 20 rows in front of my seat, and who spends three minutes hanging out in the aisle folding up my sportcoat before I sit down. I hang out as close to the gate as possible during the whole boarding process, even though I'm in Zone 8. And I love talking on my cell phone constantly, even if there's nothing to talk about, but because I can't see the person I'm talking to, I assume I have to talk real loud because they must be far away. So I'm really getting a kick out of this potential new policy. I can't wait to sit next to you.

d23:A cell tech explained to me why this was not desirable once. When going at airplane speeds cell phone cites would be handing off the signal every few seconds.

And only voice carriers would think that is a problem. It's not like there's some technician running around with patch cables to move the call between base stations -- it's a few control messages down a wire to coordinate switching at a device with no other purpose. You don't see Cisco complaining when WiFi devices only a spend a few seconds on an AP before switching to another one.

Some of the inter-station coordination algorithms assume that you can only hand off to a direct neighbor station (which IMHO is a bad assumption even without service to planes) but that's a design choice, not a limitation of the technology.

And all of that is irrelevant here, because the proposal is to allow planes to provide their own cellular service that's ground-linked in aggregate (and presumably not via the usual cellular base stations).

Ear plugs / Noise canceling headphones don't work when you are sitting right next to the guy the subby was brilliantly referring to in the headline. This is the same guy who will undoubtedly talk very very loudly the whole flight about getting new wheels on his Porsche or BMWs , his vacation in Cabo, the hot models he is dating. I have been next to these people in the Gym with blasting music in my headphones and you can still hear them.

queezyweezel:Am I the only one that realizes planes are incredible loud, wears headphones, and doesn't really care that much? Seems like people neeeeeeed to be pissed off about something; anything these days....

No. My first reaction to hearing about call on aircraft is to think "Oh look, something else I won't hear. Neat." and my second is amusement at the impotent rage of the people who think any time in the presence of other people should be spent sitting on your hands with your mouth shut.

/I want to believe 90% Farkers aren't basement dwelling social rejects, but the wailing and gnashing of teeth every time they interact with other people in meatspace really makes me wonder.